Immersion heater
I was perusing a catalogue in my local home brew shop recently and came
across an immersion heater that you basically plug in and drop in a bucket. It was designed for beer use, but I was thinking of the possibilities of using it for wine and mead. I usually only use enough hot water to dissolve the sugar and, depending on the wine, cover the fruit/vegetable matter for extraction. I would advise removing the heater before adding sugar. My next batch of mead will probably use a raw local honey so I could use it to heat water up enough to pasteurise it, should I wish to do so. Has anyone got any experience with these? Any other thoughts? It would be a lot easier than filling up a few large pans for hot water, and it was less than half the price of a 2 gallon kettle I was looking at recently. |
The heater is fine for heating water, but the concentrated heat at the
surface of the heating element is more than I'd prefer to come into contact with my grapes/wine. It won't hurt you when you get slight carmelization in the must, though I'd expect a bit of oxidized flavor (a la sherry). You be the judge. Gene alien wrote: > I was perusing a catalogue in my local home brew shop recently and came > across an immersion heater that you basically plug in and drop in a > bucket. It was designed for beer use, but I was thinking of the > possibilities of using it for wine and mead. I usually only use enough > hot water to dissolve the sugar and, depending on the wine, cover the > fruit/vegetable matter for extraction. I would advise removing the > heater before adding sugar. My next batch of mead will probably use a > raw local honey so I could use it to heat water up enough to pasteurise > it, should I wish to do so. > > Has anyone got any experience with these? Any other thoughts? It would > be a lot easier than filling up a few large pans for hot water, and it > was less than half the price of a 2 gallon kettle I was looking at > recently. |
"alien" > wrote in message ... > I was perusing a catalogue in my local home brew shop recently and came > across an immersion heater that you basically plug in and drop in a > bucket. It was designed for beer use, but I was thinking of the > possibilities of using it for wine and mead. You can also get submersible ones at pet shops for aquarium use. I usually only use enough > hot water to dissolve the sugar and, depending on the wine, cover the > fruit/vegetable matter for extraction. I would advise removing the > heater before adding sugar. My next batch of mead will probably use a > raw local honey so I could use it to heat water up enough to pasteurise > it, should I wish to do so. Make sure that honey is very sweet and aromatic in flavor. I used wild honey on five gallons of mead and it has an aftertaste like kiddies cough syrup. Bob -- Please excuse any errors in my post, as I have dain bramage. > > Has anyone got any experience with these? Any other thoughts? It would > be a lot easier than filling up a few large pans for hot water, and it > was less than half the price of a 2 gallon kettle I was looking at > recently. |
If I think my must is a bit cool and I need a bit of warmth for my yeast to
get going, I use a heating pad. I set my 2 gallon glass primary ferment container on top of my heating pad. Having said that, I always make sure I'm home when I turn it on, and I do keep tabs on it. Please, I don't want anyone to have a fire if they do this. Usually, it only requires a few hours, then the must takes off, and I remove the heating pad. Darlene Wisconsin "alien" > wrote in message ... >I was perusing a catalogue in my local home brew shop recently and came >across an immersion heater that you basically plug in and drop in a bucket. >It was designed for beer use, but I was thinking of the possibilities of >using it for wine and mead. I usually only use enough hot water to >dissolve the sugar and, depending on the wine, cover the fruit/vegetable >matter for extraction. I would advise removing the heater before adding >sugar. My next batch of mead will probably use a raw local honey so I >could use it to heat water up enough to pasteurise it, should I wish to do >so. > > Has anyone got any experience with these? Any other thoughts? It would be > a lot easier than filling up a few large pans for hot water, and it was > less than half the price of a 2 gallon kettle I was looking at recently. |
I'm only going to use it to heat water. It's something like £20, while
a 3G catering kettle will set me back around £100. Was just wondering if there's any cons to using it that I haven't thought about. Money was a bit tight until Friday, so I didn't want to waste any. The only think I can think is that the long term costs might be higher or it might melt the plastic must bucket. Dar V wrote: > If I think my must is a bit cool and I need a bit of warmth for my yeast to > get going, I use a heating pad. I set my 2 gallon glass primary ferment > container on top of my heating pad. Having said that, I always make sure I'm > home when I turn it on, and I do keep tabs on it. Please, I don't want > anyone to have a fire if they do this. Usually, it only requires a few > hours, then the must takes off, and I remove the heating pad. > Darlene > Wisconsin > > "alien" > wrote in message > ... > >>I was perusing a catalogue in my local home brew shop recently and came >>across an immersion heater that you basically plug in and drop in a bucket. >>It was designed for beer use, but I was thinking of the possibilities of >>using it for wine and mead. I usually only use enough hot water to >>dissolve the sugar and, depending on the wine, cover the fruit/vegetable >>matter for extraction. I would advise removing the heater before adding >>sugar. My next batch of mead will probably use a raw local honey so I >>could use it to heat water up enough to pasteurise it, should I wish to do >>so. >> >>Has anyone got any experience with these? Any other thoughts? It would be >>a lot easier than filling up a few large pans for hot water, and it was >>less than half the price of a 2 gallon kettle I was looking at recently. > > |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:03 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
FoodBanter